Snagger for continuous wire take-up



Nov. 22, 1960 J. N. DETRICK ETAL 2,961,175

smcssa FOR commuous WIRE TAKE-UP Filed Oct. 21, 1958 l( M M W UnitedStates Patent SNAGGER FOR CONTINUOUS WIRE TAKE-UP Judson N. Detriclr,Oak Park, and James F. Stoltz, La Grange, 111., assignors to WesternElectric Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of NewYork Filed Oct. '21, 1958, Ser. No. 768,599

Gaines. (Cl. 242-25) This invention relates to a snagger for continuouswire take-up operations, or more particularly to a snagger plate havingradially disposed teeth which automatically close upon rotation of theplate and automatically open when the plate ceases to rotate.

In the continuous winding of Wire or other strand material, the wiremust be shited from a full take-up reel to an empty take-up reel withouthalting the take-up operation. This is generally accomplished byseparately rotating a pair of take-up reels in close proximity to oneanother and guiding the wire from the full reel to the empty reel.Mounted to each reel, and rotated therewith, is generally a snaggerplate having gripping means, or teeth, disposed along the peripherythereof which are used to grip the wire as it leaves the full reel andenters the empty reel. The gripping of the wire at each reel isnecessary, in that, the wire between the reels is severed in order toremove the full reel while the empty reel is being Wound, and the wiremust therefore be tightly gripped at each reel to prevent the wire fromunwinding from the full reel and to maintain a pulling force on the wireto be wound on the empty reel. A more complete disclosure of acontinuous wire take-up operation may be found in the two co-pendingapplications of N. H. Swanson, Serial No. 768,756, filed October 21,1858 for Self Cleaning Snagger Plate and Serial No. 768,600, filedOctober 21, 1958 for Self Cleaning Snagger Plate. It is desirable,therefore, to provide a snagger plate with peripherally disposed teethwhich are in a gripping position while the snagger plate is rotating andin an open position when the plate and associated reel has stoppedrotating so that the ends of wire are easily accessible.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a new and improvedsnagger for continuous wire take-up.

Another object of the invention is to provide a snagger plate havingperipherally disposed gripping means which automatically close uponrotation of the plate and automatically open when the plate ceases torotate.

A further object of the invention is to provide a snagger plate withpivotally mounted gripping means having a weight distribution such thatthe teeth automatically move to a gripping position when the plate isrotated.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sinagger platewith pivotally mounted teeth having a weight distribution which causesthe teeth to move to a closed position upon rotation of the plate andhaving a means for urging the teeth to an open position.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention contemplatesa snagger plate connectible to a shaft for rotation with a take-up reel.The plate is provided with gripping means, or teeth, pivotally mountedto the periphery thereof, such that the leading portion of each toothprojects beyond the periphery of the plate and the trailing portion ofeach tooth is positioned within the peripheral rim of the plate. Mountedon the snagger plates and associated with each tooth, is a spring urgingmeans which bears against the trailing portion of each tooth to urge thetooth in an open or non-gripping posiiatentezi Nov. 22, 1960 tion. Thetrailing position of each tooth is formed with an excess mass to providea weight on the trailing portion whereby centrifugal forces act upon theweight when the plate is rotating to move the weighted trailing portionof each tooth radially outward, such that the spring urging means isovercome and the teeth are movedto a closed or gripping position.

Other objects, advantages and novel aspects of the invention will becomeapparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, inconjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a front elevation view of a snagger plate embodying theprinciples of the instant invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the leading portion of a tooth mountedon the snagger plate; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in full section, disclosing analternative structural configuration of the strand gripping surfaces onthe snagger plate.

Attention is now directed to Fig. 1, wherein is shown a snagger plate 10comprising of a circular plate 11 having a central aperture 12 formounting the plate on a shaft 13. The plate 11 is formed with a groove14concentric with the aperture which provides a hub portion 16 aroundthe aperture 12 and a flange 17 extending around the periphery of theplate 11.

A plurality of gripping means, or teeth, 18 are pivotally mounted nearthe peripheral flange 17 of the plate 11 by means of bolts 19. Eachtooth 18 comprises a leading portion 21 which extends in the directionof r0- tation of the plate 11 and a trailing portion 22 which extends ina direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the plate 11. Theleading portion of each tooth extends through an oversized slot 23formed in the peripheral flange 17, which allows a limited amount ofmovement for the tooth between a gripp'ng and nongripping position. Thetrailing portion 22 of each tooth 18 is formed with, or has mountedthereto, a weight 24 which is urged towards the center of the plate bymeans of a spring 26 mounted on the inner surface of the peripheralflange 17.

As may be seen from Fig. 3, when the plate 11 is not rotating, thesprings 26 force the trailing portions 22 of the teeth 18 inwardly,thereby forcing the teeth against the rear surface of the slots 23 suchthat an inner surface 29 of the leading portion 21 of each tooth isseparated or spaced from an outer peripheral surface 28 of the flange17. When the plate 11 begins to rotate, however, centrifugal forces actupon the excess weight 24 on the rear portion 22 of each tooth to movethe rear portion away from the center of the plate 11 against the forceof the spring 26 thereby pivoting the teeth into a gripping position asshown in Fig. 1. In the gripping or closed position, the teeth areforced against the forward surface of the slots 23 in the flange 17 suchthat the inner surface 29 of each tooth is forced into engagement withthe outer peripheral surface 28 of the flange 17.

The inner surface 29 of each tooth is provided with a raised portion 27which is engageable with peripheral surface 28 to maintain the innersurface 29 spaced from the surface 28. It may therefore be understood,that when the plate 11 is rotating and the teeth 18 are in a grippingposition, a wire passing over the flange 17 of the plate 11 will besnagged or gripped between the leading portion 21 of a tooth 18 and theflange 17. The smallest distance between the inner surface 29 and theouter peripheral surface 28 is constructed to be slightly less than thediameter of the wire to be snagged, thereby gripping the wire tightlyagainst the tooth 18 and flange 17. When the plate 11 ceases to rotate,the centrifugal forces acting upon the weights 24 become smaller until3. the forces are overcome by the forces exerted on the weights 24 bythe springs 26. At this time, the springs 26 will force the teeth 18 toan open or non-gripping position as shown in Fig; 3 whereby the wire isauto- ..matically released. It 'may be understood, therefore, that thesnagger plate possesses self-cleaning characteristics, in that, afterthe wire is snagged and the plate 11 gccases to rotate, the teethautomatically release the wire to permit easy removal of the wire fromthe snagger plate 10.

border to enhance the gripping of the wire, the lead ing portion ,21 ofeach tooth 18 may be provided with various alternative structuralconfigurations other than the one shown in Figs. 1,' 2 and 3. Forexample, as shown in ,Fig. 4, the outer peripheral surface 28 of theplate 11 may be provided with a V-shaped ridge 31 and the inner surfaceof the leading portion 21 of each tooth 18 formed with a V-shaped slotor groove 32 for complementing the ridge to crimp or bend astrandsnagged therebetween. Also, the various grippingsurfaces may be serratedor crenelated to form surfaces that bite into the strand for positiveretention of the strand between the surfaces.

It is to be understood that the above-described arrangements are simplyillustrative of the application of the principles of this invention.Numerous other arrangements may be readily devised by those skilled inthe art which will embody the principles of the invention and fallwithin the spirit and scope thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A snagger plate for continuous strand take-up, which comprises arotatable plate, strand gripping means movably mounted near theperipheral edge of said plate and having an arcuately movable leadingportion engageable with the peripheral edge, means rendered effective bythe rotation of said plate for causing the leading portion to movearcuately inwardly and engage the peripheral edge, and means renderedeffective by a cessation of rotating movement of the plate fordisengaging the leading portion and the peripheral edge.

2. A snagger plate for strand take-up, which comprises a plate rotatablein a predetermined direction,

strand gripping means pivotally mounted on said plate, a

first portion of said gripping means extending in a first direction, asecond portion of said gripping means extending in a second direction,said second portion of said gripping means being rendered effective uponrotation of said plate to cause said first portion of said grippingmeans to pivot inwardly until said first portion of said gripping meansengages a strand.

3. A snagger plate for continuous strand take-up, which comprises aplate rotatable in a predetermined direction and having a ridge formedon the outer peripheral surface thereof, strand gripping means pivotallymountednear the peripheral edge of said plateand having a leadingportion extending in the direction of rotation of the plate, saidleading portion positioned beyond the peripheral edge of the plate andhaving a groove formed in the inner surface thereof complementing theridge, means rendered eifective by the rotation of the plate for movingthe leading portion towards the plate to force the groove over saidridge, and means rendered effective by a cessation of rotating of theplate for moving the leading portion from the plate.

4. A snagger plate for continuous strand take-up, which comprises aplate rotatable in a predetermined direction, pivotally mounted grippingmeans positioned near the peripheral edge of said plate and having aleading portion extending in the direction of rotation of said plate,said leading portion projecting beyond the pen'pheral edge of the plateand engageable therewith, a trailing portion on said gripping meansextending in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of saidplate and positioned within the peripheral boundaries of the plate,weighted means mounted on the trailing portion for causing the leadingportion to engage the peripheral edge upon rotation of the plate, andspring means mounted on the plate in engagement with the trailingportion for urging the leading portion from the peripheral edge.

5. A snagger plate for continuous strand take-up, which comprises aplate rota-table in a predetermined direction and having a V-shapedridge formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, pivotally mountedgripping means positioned near the peripheral edge of said plate andhaving a leading portion extending in the direction of rotation of saidplate, said leading portion projecting beyond the peripheral edge of theplate and having a V-shaped groove formed in the inner surface thereofcomplementing the ridge, a trailing portion on said gripping meansextending in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of saidplate and positioned within-the peripheral boundaries of the plate,weight means mounted on the trailing portion for moving the leadingportion towards the peripheral ridge on the plate to force the grooveover said ridge upon rotation of the plate, and spring means mounted onthe plate in engagement with the trailing portion for urging the leadingportion from the peripheral ridge.

6. A snagger plate for continuous wire take-up, which comprises acircular plate having a central aperture for mounting the plate to arotatable shaft for rotation in a predetermined direction, said platehaving a concentric groove therein forming a hub around the aperture anda peripheral flange, said peripheral flange having spaced slots therein,a plurality of teeth pivotally mounted within said groove, each toothhaving a leading portion extending through oneof said slots and beyondthe periphery of the plate and a trailing portion within theboundariesof the peripheral flange, each said leading portion extending in thedirection of rotation of the plate and engageable With the peripheralflange, each said trailing'portion extending in a direction opposite tothe direction of rotation of said plate, a weight mounted on thetrailing portion of each tooth whereby centrifugal forces act upon theweight to cause the leading portion of each tooth to engage theperipheral flange when the plate is rotated, and spring means mounted onsaid plate for urging the leading portion of each tooth to disengagefrom the peripheral flange.

7. A snagger plate for continuous strand take-up, which comprises aplate rotatable in a predetermined direction, strand gripping meanspivotally mounted adjacent the peripheral edge of said plate and havingan arcuately movable leading portion extending in the direction ofrotation of the plate, said leading portion being positioned beyond theperipheral edge of the plate, means rendered effective by rotation ofthe plate for pivoting said strand gripping means so as to move theleading portion of said strand gripping means arcuately inwardly towardsthe plate until said leading portion engages a strand, and meansrendered eflective by cessation of rotation of the plate for moving theleadingportion away from the plate. 8..A snagger plate for continuousstrand take-up, which comprises a plate rotatable in a predetermineddirection, pivotally mounted gripping means positioned near theperipheral edge of said plate and having a leading portion extending inthe direction of rotation of said plate, said leading portion projectingbeyond the peripheral edge of the plate and engageable therewith, atrailing portion on said gripping means extending in a direction 9. Asnagger plate for continuous strand take-up,

which comprises a plate rotatable in a predetermined direction,pivotally mounted gripping means positioned near the peripheral edge ofsaid plate and having a leading portion extending in the direction ofrotation of said plate, said leading portion projecting beyond theperipheral edge of the plate, a trailing portion on said gripping meansextending in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of saidplate and positioned within the peripheral boundaries of the plate,weight means mounted on the trailing portion for moving the leadingportion towards the peripheral edge of the plate upon rotation of saidplate, and spring means mounted on the plate in engagement with thetrailing portion for urging the leading portion away from peripheraledge.

10. A snagger plate for continuous wire take-up, which comprises acircular plate having a central aperture for mounting the plate to arotatable shaft for rotation in a predetermined direction, said platehaving a concentric groove therein forming a hub around the aperture anda peripheral flange, said peripheral flange 20 2,776,097

having spaced slots therein, a plurality of teeth pivotally mountedwithin said groove, each tooth having a leading portion extendingthrough one of said slots and beyond the periphery of the plate, and atrailing portion within the boundaries of the peripheral flange, saidleading portion extending in the direction of rotation of the plate andengageable with the peripheral flange, said trailing portion extendingin a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of said plate andhaving sufficient mass that centrifugal forces act upon the mass causingthe leading portion of each tooth to engage the peripheral flange whenthe plate is rotated, and spring means mounted on said plate for urgingthe leading portion of each tooth to disengage from the peripheralflange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Hickset al. Feb. 21, 1956 Bruestle Jan. 1, 1957

